Payroll Specialist

Job Title: Payroll SpecialistJob Description

We are seeking a dedicated Payroll Specialist to join a food technology start-up on a temporary basis to cover maternity leave. This role involves managing payroll for 165 employees using Rippling HR software. The position requires an individual with a keen eye for detail and a strong understanding of payroll processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end payroll processing activities, including data entry, wage calculations, and payment processing to ensure completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of each cycle.
• Plan, prioritize, and execute tasks associated with managing regular payroll cycles for exempt and non-exempt employees on a semi-monthly and bi-weekly basis, respectively.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and tax regulations, including accurate withholding, periodic reporting, and remittance of payroll taxes.
• Calculate, prepare, present, and post all payroll and benefits-related journal entries and upload into ERP as payroll cycles are transacted.
• Reconcile all payroll and benefits balance sheet and operational accounts as part of the month-end close process.
• Provide payroll, headcount, and benefits reporting information to support financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and other ad hoc management requests.
• Collaborate with HR and benefits administration to ensure practices are aligned with policy and cross-processes.
• Assist in internal and external payroll audits by providing accurate payroll records, documentation, and explanations, ensuring compliance with audit requirements.
• Review timecards for non-exempt employees with strong attention to detail, focusing on timecard review and meal break penalty oversight (California focus).
• Ensure compliance with California meal and rest break laws.
• Review penalties for missed or late meal/rest breaks, ensuring accurate calculation and remittance of meal/rest break penalties.
• Audit and reconcile timecard data to ensure penalties and breaks are correctly reflected in wages.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, a related field, or equivalent years of work experience.
• 5+ years of experience in payroll accounting, with experience in a dynamic environment with developing processes.
• Proficiency in Rippling payroll software.
• In-depth knowledge of California wage-and-hour laws, meal/rest break requirements, and associated penalties.
• Extensive knowledge of payroll regulations, tax laws, and accounting principles, with a proven track record of ensuring compliance and accuracy in payroll processing.
• Proficiency in managing multistate payroll environments.
• Skilled at preparing journal entries and reconciling accounts associated with payroll and benefits including salary, bonuses, 401K, HSA, FSA, PTO, and hourly wages.
• ERP proficiency required, with experience in Microsoft Business Central and FloQast being a major plus.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to reconcile complex payroll accounts, analyze financial data, and provide relevant information.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills.

Work Environment

This position is 100% remote, allowing flexibility and the comfort of working from your chosen environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Berkeley, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $ $65.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision

• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital

• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available

• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)

• Short and long-term disability

• Health Spending Account (HSA)

• Transportation benefits

• Employee Assistance Program

• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Feb 4, 2026.

About Aston Carter:

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing double diamond winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email for other accommodation options.

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